Field
The present disclosure is directed to optical couplings and, more particularly, to optical couplings having a coded magnetic array. The optical coupling may be configured as a plug or a receptacle to optically couple optical components.
Technical Background
Fiber optic cables have advantages over conventional copper conductor cables, especially as data rates increase due to bandwidth limitations of copper cables. As a result, fiber optic cables have replaced much of the copper cables in communication networks and is migrating into other application spaces. As the use of fiber optics migrates into numerous consumer electronics applications, such as connecting computer peripherals by the use of fiber optic cable assemblies, there will be a consumer-driven expectation for cables having improved performance, compatibility with future communication protocols, and a broad range of use. Unlike telecommunication optical connections, consumer applications experience a large number of mating and unmating cycles that may cause issues with reliability and performance over the desired number of mating cycles. For instance, conventional opto-mechanical interfaces utilized to optically couple an optical cable assembly to active optical components of an electronic device require precise mechanical structures to properly align the optical fibers of the optical cable assembly with the laser(s) and/or photodiode(s) of the electronic device. Consequently, conventional opto-mechanical interfaces require tight tolerances for alignment that are expensive, may not be rugged enough for consumer electronics applications, and/or will have degraded performance over the desired number of mating cycles. For instance, the mechanical structures often cause the optical interface of the optical cable assembly and the electronic device to be susceptible to the build-up of foreign substances (e.g., dust, liquid, food particles, etc.) that may interfere with the mating and propagation of optical signals between the optical cable assembly and the electronic device.
Accordingly, alternative optical couplings, connector assemblies and electronic devices are desired.